Middlefield gets gift of land

MIDDLEFIELD -- A local family with long roots in the community has conveyed a 31-acre parcel of pristine undeveloped land to the town at no cost to the town, or to town taxpayers. The land will now be set aside as open green space, which residents ca

JIM HICKEY

Published 12:00 am, Wednesday, August 7, 2002

"It's very exciting, this is the kind of generosity that we were hoping for," said First Selectman Charles Augur.

The Magee family, which has lived in town for a number of generations, recently gave the town the land at no cost, in exchange for a conservation easement dictating the land can be only used for passive recreational use and can never be developed.

The parcel is just to the east of Main Street near the West Street intersection. The site abuts a large parcel that is currently a corn field that will eventually be the site of a new golf course. The parcel has a lush variety of plant and animal life, and there is a good sized pond stocked with fish in the center.

According to Conservation Committee Chairman Richard Dudko, town planners already had their eye on the parcel, largely because it is contiguous with several other town-owned parcels. By taking ownership of the parcel, a continuous "green belt way" will be created, which is one of the goals of the town's long-term plan of development.

"The property is exactly what we had in mind when we set out to preserve open space, we couldn't have asked for a better parcel," said Dudko.

The town now owns a total of 164 acres of land preserved as open space, Dudko said, and is currently in the process of trying to attain more parcels that have deemed priorities, such as those along the river and along the ridge top.

Studies have shown that new residential development introduce more children into the school system which winds up putting a drain on town services, Dudko explained. One study determined that every new house in town winds up costing the town $8,700 in town services every year, as opposed to a parcel of open space which costs the town nothing, he added.

"We certainly aren't anti-development, but what we are for is responsible planning that maintains the rural character of the town and saves the taxpayers money."

At Tuesday's First Selectman meeting, brothers Bill and Doug Magee were given plaques by Augur that thanked them and the rest of their family for making the donation.

"It's a great gift and a great thing for the people of this town," said Augur.